Happy Sunday Nugs. I am so excited to share this week’s plan with you. If you haven’t read last week’s newsletter yet, peep the intro. It sets up the framework of my weekly planning, which is helpful context.
It’s been really fun breaking apart my process, figuring out the best way to present it to y’all. I would love to hear from you if this feels applicable, possible, or if you are trying any of this. Comment with questions, DM me, and let me know. I am here for your feedback!
My week was a bit chaotic, which is exactly where this process shines. I was traveling for two days, and know that while I am gone, I will likely eat like shit so I did what I could to make everything at home the days before and after. I hope you enjoy.
Can’t wait to cook with you,
xx natalie
1: Dinner Recipes
NYT: Skillet Chicken With Black Beans, Rice and Chiles – on Sunday I cooked this because it doubled as chicken and rice prep for the week. The rice and chicken made appearances multiple times in my lunches. (not pictured) Alex review: 3 stars
NYT: Cauliflower, Potato and White Bean Soup – I did this one in the pressure cooker and it took 15 minutes of active cooking time. I topped it with olive oil drizzle, sour cream and onion chips, and a bunch of fresh parm. Alex review: 3.5 stars (He isn’t a huge soup fan, so this is a rave review. He ate it twice.)
Molly Baz One Pot Chicken and Schmaltzy Rice with Lemony Yog – I cooked nearly double the chicken it called for so we could snack on it. Her recipes are not online but I 100% recommend her cookbook. This one was a STAR. I ended up making the rice twice for even more leftovers. Alex review: 4.5 stars
NYT: Salmon and Couscous Salad with Cucumber-Feta Dressing – So I found out I am not a fan of pearl couscous, but this recipe still was great, and can easily be replaced with another kind of grain or lettuce. You could make extra of the Molly Baz and use it as the base, only making the salmon (which is like 10-15 min!). They were very, very similar. Alex review: 4.5 stars
2: Shopping List
Recipe List
The things I need for the recipes:
Bone in skin on chicken thigh (3 lbs)
Fresh center cut salmon
Yellow onion
Mini bell peppers
Cherry tomatoes
Pre-cut cauliflower
Pre-peeled garlic cloves
Serranos
Sugar snap peas
Fresh cilantro, thyme, dill, mint, chives
Lots of limes and lemons
Bag ‘o potatoes
Basmati rice
Cinnamon sticks
Canned Black Beans and cannellini beans
Roasted pistachios
Pearl and white couscous
Chicken stock, bone broth, Better than Boullion Organic Chicken (comes in vegan options as well)
Sour cream and onion kettle chips
0% Greek yogurt (replaces all called for creams, yogurt in some way)
Flexible Fill Ins
These will be your necessities almost every week for breakfast, lunch, and quick dinners. This is what I bought this week:
Romain Hearts
Kale
Arugula
Air Chilled Chicken Thighs
Corn tortillas (keep them in the fridge! they will last a month.)
Avocados
Red Onions
Roasted fall seeds
Eggs
Bacon
3: Weekly Prep
I prepped these elements that I know I will use throughout the week, both in recipes and in lunches. Some prep was on Sunday and some on Monday if I didn’t finish it all.
Air Chilled Chicken Thighs: One pack, which was 1.5-2 lbs, 5 total thighs. Pat dry and add salt and pepper, garlic salt, and peprika, with a little avocado oil to avoid stick. I decided to grill them, since Alex was grilling some Sunday lunch (that’s his time to shine in the kitchen lol). I handed them off and he got them all nice and charred!
Broccoli and Cauliflower: I grilled the broccoli on Sunday with some other meat we were grilling. Sprinkle with avocado oil, then add salt, pepper, garlic powder. I also prefer lemon pepper from Costco on grilled veggies when they’re done.
Kale: I hate the process of cleaning, de-stemming, and chopping kale. I found that if I do it in prep mode, I am more likely to use it before it goes bad, and it lasts longer stored. Put it in a larger container wrapped in a kitchen towel or paper towel after cleaning and chopping it.
Marinaded onions: there are a few types of marinade/pickling techniques I love and none of them are wrong. I usually find recipes that call for this, so making it in advance means I can add them to anything all week. This week I made them with balsamic vinegar, ACV, salt, pepper, coconut sugar, and some dried Italian herbs.
Yogurt sauces: Two of the recipes (Molly and NYT salmon) called for yogurt sauces so I made them in advance with the 0% greek yogurt and used them throughout the week, stored in little jars. A dollop is always appreciated on nearly anything.
4: Meal Remix’s
Salad: Chicken from NYT Skillet Chicken, parm, marinaded onions, prepped kale
Salad: Prepped Kale, romaine, arugula, chicken thigh prep, fall seed mix, tons of herbs, marinaded onion
Rice + Salad: NYT Skillet rice with chicken thigh prep, avocado, arugula, lime and grilled broccoli, chopped leftover peppers
Taco’s: egg combined with skillet beans and rice topped with arugula, hot sauce, lime and cilantro, on a lovely heated white corn tortilla
Bowl: Molly rice with prepped chicken, leftover cucumbers from the NYT salmon + arugula with some crispy chili oil
Nat’s Weekly Recos
Prep containers: I like the glass ones, and bought mine at Costco. I also use the plastic HEB brand, which I feel less bad about losing or giving meal away in.
New favorite detergent: Dirty labs original scent feels like lux and not too overbearing. I also love that its small and can use only a tiny amount because it doesn’t have any water in it.
Digital thermometer: This tool made my chicken exponentially better. I often get nervous that my chicken is under cooked, and this will give you the confidence to pull it out when it’s actually done, not overcooked.
My Fall Starbucks recipe: I am obsessed with pumpkin spice and fall as expected. All of the Starbucks drinks with pumpkin spice have way too much sugar, and way too many calories. Use this instead: Ice Shaken Espresso, no classic syrup, add 3 pumpkin pumps, almond milk, grande in a venti glass (100 cals)
Nat a fan of pearled cous-cous???? 🤯
😋